Middleham Park Racing has three live chances at Newcastle tomorrow, April 7, headlined by Shouldvebeenaring in the talkSPORT All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships.
A Listed winner at Ripon last year, Shouldvebeenaring was second in the opening Fast-Track Qualifier at Newcastle in October and then went one better at Southwell in January.
The Richard Hannon-trained colt was not seen to best effect last time out in a tactical renewal of the Listed talkSPORT Spring Cup at Lingfield Park, in which he finished fifth in a bunched finish.
Hugo Palmer’s Nolton Cross has stamina to prove as he tackles an extended two miles in the BetUK All-Weather Marathon Championships, following three handicap victories over a mile and a half.
Derby entry Dear My Friend returns for Charlie Johnston in the Listed talkSPORT Burradon Stakes. The son of Pivotal was third behind subsequent G1 winners Victoria Road and Blue Rose Cen at Deauville in August and filled the same position in the G3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket on his latest start.
Tim Palin of Middleham Park Racing said: “Shouldvebeenaring worked really well on Tuesday morning. Richard [Hannon] sounds somewhere between confident and bullish. I think he feels the horse probably has a favourite’s chance and the betting says that as well.
“There should be an end-to-end gallop and a good test at the trip will suit our horse. The draw could have been kinder as we are out on the wing but he must go there with a very decent chance.
“Nolton Cross is in the form of his life. He has been a revelation on the Tapeta and gets 2lb weight-for-age, which is useful. He has the form to be competitive but the question mark of course is the trip.
“We have always felt that he would get a mile and six furlongs but two miles is a leap of faith. I can see him coming there swinging three furlongs out and then not getting home, but equally if he does improve a bit for going further, he could be bang there at the finish.
“Dear My Friend was a tad free in the Zetland Stakes on his latest start. There is some debate at Middleham Park about what his best trip is – his pedigree does not scream anything definitively, whether it be a mile or a mile and a half.
“With that in mind, we put him in the Derby on Tuesday and the idea was to either start off here or in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket. He worked well the other day, which made our minds up to come here.
“I think it could be an exciting couple of months with this horse. We flagged him up in the Racing Post as our horse to follow for the season as we just don’t quite know what we have. Have we got a 104 horse who is scratching around in Listed races or could he be a progressive middle-distance horse at Group level? That is what we are exploring, starting on Friday.”